Fishing is one of the most important uses of coral reefs and their fisheries resources. This project aims to find new ways of engaging fisheries stakeholders in the conservation of coral reefs and their fisheries within the Florida Coral Reef Ecosystem Conservation Area. The project is carried out by a team from the University of Florida and is supported by the Florida Department of Environmental Protection, Coral Reef Conservation Program.

Situation analysis is the first step towards developing a stakeholder engagement plan. The aim of this situation analysis is to explore the views of diverse stakeholders regarding:
• the ecological state of the coral reefs and their fisheries resources
• factors impacting on the reefs and their fisheries resources
• opportunities for fisheries stakeholders to enhance the conservation of reefs and their fisheries through voluntary actions and participation in management processes
• experiences of past engagement in coral reef conservation and fisheries management
• preferred approaches to engagement and communication

The situation analysis is informed by interviews with key stakeholders and review of existing information. The output will be a description of the current situation and recommendation for the development of a subsequent, longer-term stakeholder engagement process.

If you would like to stay informed about the situation analysis or get involved by providing your input, please contact the project scientist, Dr. Susana Hervas Avila: Email: shervas@ufl.edu.